While it is disputable where gospel music originates from, literature says it is a music genre founded by the African-American Christians. The music comprises hymns and songs borrowed from the oral traditions of the enslaved African people during the slavery era. Gospel music is the music of the good news.
The Nigerian gospel music was introduced in the 16th century by the Portuguese Catholic missionaries who first came to Benin and Warri. Nigerians are greatly religious. It is the one thing that unites them even in moments of suffering—their faith in God or Allah, as the case may be. Being a people of diverse cultures and traditions, they have successfully crafted gospel music and given it a Nigerian identity.
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The background of Nigerian gospel music dates to the 19th century. Following the introduction of liturgical music, it started to take shape, and after the widespread evangelism from the UK Church Missionary Society (CMS), choral music was introduced. Josiah J. Ransome Kuti, father of Nigerian Gospel music, was the first person to fuse choral music with Yoruba rhythms, while Ikoli Harcourt-Whyte was the first composer to create choral music in the Igbo language. These pioneers, among others created music that was immersed in the country’s many rhythms and culture
The Nigerian Gospel music of the 21st century has evolved into a fusion of Afrobeats and Gospel music. This has taken the genre to a global level through artists like Mercy Chinwo, Sinach, Nathaniel Bassey, Frank Edwards, Tim Godfrey, etc. Find Sinach’s Waymaker here, well acclaimed in Nigeria and one of the many songs that marked the evolution of Nigeria’s gospel music.
A remarkable platform on which this gospel music gained global traction was The Experience, a gospel concert founded by Pastor Paul Adefarasin. In 2017, the annual Lagos-held free concert reportedly drew a staggering 700,000 attendees to the historic Tafawa Balewa Square, with millions viewing online across the globe, reports the Native Mag.
Adefarasin, who is a senior pastor at House On The Rock Cathedral, opines that ‘The Experience has, since its inception, given a home to a number of emerging and established artists alike. Coming at a time when there weren’t many platforms dedicated to the growth of gospel artists, The Experience Concert has played a prominent role in the crossover of many local talents into the international gospel market.’
Nigeria’s gospel music continues in the advice of Ephesians 5:19 (NLT), “Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, making music to the Lord in your hearts.” Despite the great suffering in Nigeria, they continue to make songs that preach resilience and faith for a coming better time.
Looking for Nigerian Gospel Music? Here are albums and songs you can add to your playlist:
Tim Godfrey’s Ekwueme
Nathaniel Bassey’s Names of God
Mercy Chinwo’s Overwhelming Victory
Adazion IJ’s Zam
Frank Edward’s I Am
Photo credits:
Articles.connectnigeria.com
Bellanaija.com
References:
thenativemag.com